Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year

Newsgroups	comp.os.linux.misc
From	Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid>
Subject	Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year
References	(12 earlier) <10nk4io$3qvpn$5@dont-email.me> <10nk6rk$slp6$1@news1.tnib.de> <wwv7bs1b424.fsf@LkoBDZeT.terraraq.uk> <cFFnR.147183$qcD6.44850@fx08.iad> <10nnc70$v5i0$1@dont-email.me>
Message-ID	<kxInR.584154$hp4e.123436@fx48.iad> (permalink)
Date	2026-02-25 20:00 +0000

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On 2026-02-25, The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> wrote:

> On 25/02/2026 16:43, Charlie Gibbs wrote:
>
>> On 2026-02-25, Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> wrote:
>> 
>>> Ground-up rewrites are usually a mistake.
>> 
>> Either that or they're a sign that a bad mistake was made
>> back in the beginning.
> 
> Digital Apocrypha has it that Gary Kildall had a summer job as a student 
> to fix some assembler code.
>
> He rewrote it in FORTRAN and it ran several times faster....

On the other tentacle, Univac's 8080 cross-assembler was written
in FORTRAN and it ran like molasses in January.  A friend re-wrote
it in COBOL and its execution time on the same machine was neglegible
compared to the time either one spent in the job scheduler.

> Many many times code gets patched and patched and fixed until it really 
> is a mess.
>
>> "There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over."

I ported a lot of programs that had gotten into that state,
and enjoyed doing a lot of cleaning in the process, reducing
line count by 30% or more and greatly improving readability.
My favourite was when a feature the customer had tried to add
never worked, but suddenly started working after my clean-up.

(Yes, I know that some spoilsport is now going to give
a lecture on bug-compatibility.  Cut me some slack...)

-- 
/~\  Charlie Gibbs                  |  Growth for the sake of
\ /  <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid>      |  growth is the ideology
 X   I'm really at ac.dekanfrus     |  of the cancer cell.
/ \  if you read it the right way.  |    -- Edward Abbey

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Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-12 05:45 +0000
  Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-12 02:05 -0500
    Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year John Ames <commodorejohn@gmail.com> - 2026-02-12 09:08 -0800
      Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-02-12 19:05 +0000
      Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-12 21:09 -0500
        Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-13 06:08 +0000
          Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-13 02:19 -0500
            Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-13 18:30 +0000
              Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-14 23:01 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-15 06:18 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-02-15 08:01 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-02-15 17:27 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-15 19:40 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-15 20:43 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-15 23:12 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-15 21:30 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-02-16 07:39 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Marc Haber <mh+usenetspam1118@zugschl.us> - 2026-02-17 10:14 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-17 10:22 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Marc Haber <mh+usenetspam1118@zugschl.us> - 2026-02-17 14:16 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-26 09:25 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-02-15 21:09 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-16 10:28 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-16 19:21 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year "Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-02-16 12:14 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com> - 2026-02-16 08:51 -0800
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-17 10:15 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year "Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-02-17 11:45 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Marc Haber <mh+usenetspam1118@zugschl.us> - 2026-02-17 14:17 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year "Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-02-17 15:00 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-02-18 00:28 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year "Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-02-18 02:32 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-02-18 03:14 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year "Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-02-19 19:27 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com> - 2026-02-17 11:38 -0800
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Marc Haber <mh+usenetspam1118@zugschl.us> - 2026-02-17 14:17 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year "Carlos E. R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-02-17 15:03 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-17 14:10 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-02-18 00:33 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year "Carlos E.R." <robin_listas@es.invalid> - 2026-02-28 20:48 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-03-01 02:25 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-03-01 07:50 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <goawy@montana.com> - 2026-03-01 18:34 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-03-02 07:22 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-03-02 18:58 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-03-02 15:05 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-03-03 02:12 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-03-03 18:58 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-03-06 00:17 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2026-03-07 08:05 +1000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-03-08 02:05 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-24 07:22 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Marc Haber <mh+usenetspam1118@zugschl.us> - 2026-02-24 10:38 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-24 12:12 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Marc Haber <mh+usenetspam1118@zugschl.us> - 2026-02-24 13:51 +0100
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-24 13:28 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-02-24 18:23 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-24 22:25 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Richard Kettlewell <invalid@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-25 08:49 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-25 11:19 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-02-25 16:43 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-25 17:40 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-02-25 20:00 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-25 23:54 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year not@telling.you.invalid (Computer Nerd Kev) - 2026-02-26 07:36 +1000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Nuno Silva <nunojsilva@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-24 15:29 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-24 12:10 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year John Ames <commodorejohn@gmail.com> - 2026-02-25 10:21 -0800
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-02-25 20:00 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year John Ames <commodorejohn@gmail.com> - 2026-02-25 13:26 -0800
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-26 11:24 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Charlie Gibbs <cgibbs@kltpzyxm.invalid> - 2026-02-26 17:29 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-02-25 22:25 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com> - 2026-02-17 11:35 -0800
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Lawrence D’Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> - 2026-02-16 20:36 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-16 18:43 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-16 18:42 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Chris Ahlstrom <OFeem1987@teleworm.us> - 2026-02-16 07:37 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-15 19:16 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com> - 2026-02-15 11:59 -0800
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year rbowman <bowman@montana.com> - 2026-02-15 22:30 +0000
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Bobbie Sellers <bliss-sf4ever@dslextreme.com> - 2026-02-15 15:56 -0800
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year c186282 <c186282@nnada.net> - 2026-02-15 22:28 -0500
                Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year The Natural Philosopher <tnp@invalid.invalid> - 2026-02-16 10:44 +0000
    Re: Linux Mint may make fewer releases a year Rich <rich@example.invalid> - 2026-02-12 17:34 +0000

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